Part Of The Family

Kaede smiled to himself as he stirred the chunks of goat in the well-worn cast iron pot as Ayumi set the table and Mrs. Sendoh supervised my work. This is what it's like to have a mother, he thought.

"Now taste it, Rukawa-Kun, and tell me what it needs," she directed. "I heard from Kanara you're good at cooking," she smiled.

Kaede grabbed a clean spoon and dabbed it into the pot, then tasted. "Lemon juice--acidity," he answered. "Just a little."

She raised her eyebrows, impressed, then handed Kaede half a lemon. "Just a squeeze and it will be perfect," she answered.

"Don't you have any girlfriend Rukawa-Kun?" Kaede was taken aback by the question. The truth is, he never been interested with women. He, himself does not know why. Many girls have expressed their feelings towards him. But he just simple ignored them. Not interesting at all.

"I don't have one." Fact the truth. Kaede don't have an idea about it at all. "You're such a pretty boy Rukawa-Kun, even your faces more pretty than your sister Kanara," she chuckled. Great, now he being compared with his sister.

He fit in seamlessly with the Sendoh's and sometimes daydreamed he was really a part of their family and not just a houseguest. His dad was doing well in Osaka. His dad called him every night to check in, and sometimes he sent a cheque for spending money, which Kaede was grateful to have.

With senior year finished, Kaede looked forward to a summer fun and relaxation. He imagined he would spend his day with playing basketball without disturbing.

Apparently, Mrs. Sendoh had a different idea.

"Do you have a job lined up this summer, Rukawa-Kun?" Mrs. Sendoh asked as she ladled the fragrant goat curry onto his plate. Kaede hoped no one could hear his stomach growling as he piled his plate high with rice.

"Oh, well, I hadn't thought about it," he stammered.

He balanced his heaping plate carefully as he took a seat with the rest of the family at the dining room table under an ornate chandelier hanging from a 20-foot ceiling. The house was stately and massive, decorated expertly by Mrs. Sendoh who had a keen eye and a slight obsessive compulsion that nothing should be out of place. She liked to be in control of her surroundings--a characteristics I would be rudely familiar with later on. But for now, it was harmless.

They were only missing Akira at the table; he was still at college and hadn't been home yet. Kaede was grateful for his absence. Something about his dark blue eyes and his always-serious gaze unnerved me. He knew Akira didn't like him--or anyone for that matter--and it was much more pleasant without him here. Well, I just came here to eat. Then, I will go back to my home. So I don't need to run into him.

"You can work at the hotel. Front desk. Okay?" Mrs. Sendoh informed him, as if it had been settled already behind closed doors and this was merely a formality. She looked at Mr. Sendoh for confirmation and he nodded in agreement, his mouth full of goat.

Ayumi groaned. "Mom, I had a plans with Rukawa-Kun this summer! Don't make him work at the hotel!"

Mrs. Sendoh put on her stern face. "Ayumi, you're working at the hotel, too. We need help. It's good for you to work."

I could see Ayumi try to steady herself and slow her breathing. She was beyond mad but she wisely knew her place. She put napkin on the table and stood up.

"May I excused? I'm not very hungry anymore," she asked, each word poorly veiling her utter dissapointment. Ayumi looked at me expecting me to follow. What she didn't realize is that I wasn't a spoiled child of privilege. I was thrilled and grateful and already thinking of what I would do with the extra cash from working at the hotel. Besides, I don't really interest with her plans to spend my day with her. Truth is, I just consider her like a friend. No more no less. I don't have any feeling for her.

Mrs. Sendoh sat down with her plate. She smiled warmly at Kaede.

"It's good thing you are here, Rukawa-Kun. We are less tempted to spoil our daughter.

I beamed. It was nice to feel appreciated, especially by this family who had given me so much.

That night, Kaede just laying on his bed. While he was think deeply about offered work from Sendoh's family, his phone was ringing. Kanara called him. "Kaede, how are you there? It's all good?" She asking. "Fine." Kanara was transferred by her work company to Australia. And soon she will married with her boyfriend. And for sure Kaede will be more lonely person after this. His sister is only one person that understands him so much. She know everything about Kaede. And still, she was support every decision he made either is bad or good. "I heard from Mrs. Sendoh, she told me she offered you part time work at hotel." Silence. "Yeah, I think that was good experience." Kaede mean it. "I'm glad you would like it, Kaede."

The first week of summer vacation, he learned how to check in guest, ask for extra towels from the cleaning service in English, and tell people how to find the best sushi take-out in Kanagawa.

He got paid a little more than minimum wage, but the extra money went straight into my savings account. In the back of his mind, he hoped he'll wouldn't have to take out very much in student loans when it came time for college. He had already applied for every scholarship under the sun, so maybe if the stras aligned.

The guest were pretty nice to him, although there was always the odd one who could never be satisfied. Overall, it was pretty good gig and he was grateful for it.

Until he strolled in one day and ruined everything. Sendoh Akira.